The Oscar winner has previously been vocal about her plans to move into directing, and one of her first projects will be a small screen show based on the story of Cornelia Rau, a German woman who joined a controversial cult, suffered mental health problems, and ended up as a detainee at a centre for immigrants and asylum seekers.

Blanchett, who previously directed theatre productions in her native Australia, is also said to be working on her feature directorial debut - an adaptation of Herman Koch's novel The Dinner.